Metallica guitarist’s Sea Cliff home asks $16M

[Update: Yes, the seller of this Sea Cliff looker is none other than longtime Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Though his name does not appear on the deed, comparing the interiors to those taken during previous tours of Hammett’s abode makes it perfectly clear who the present owner is.

The many, many, many framed posters of classic horror films (including no fewer than four of the 1934 Boris Karloff/Bela Lugosi collaboration The Black Cat) are part of Hammett’s own collection.

In fact, it looks like they had him clean up the decor a bit for the new photos: Gone is the gruesome zombie dummy used in Day of the Dead from the theater, for example.]

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say about homes that are among some of the most beautiful around. That fits the bill for 320 Sea Cliff, a Spanish Colonial-style house in Sea Cliff that listed this month for a gobsmacking $16,000,000.

That makes this house the fourth most expensive, publicly listed home in the entire city. The 1926 beauty is a four-bed, four-and-a-half-bath, three-story affair perched above China Beach and host to a sweeping spiral staircase that would give Hitchcock vertigo.

If it sounds like we’ve sung this tune before, it’s because we have, less than two weeks ago.

Immediately next door to this Sea Cliff home is the neighborhood’s other most beautiful home for sale, 308 Sea Cliff, which ties with this one for fourth most expensive list price in the city.

And number three, of course, is 224 Sea Cliff, just down the street, which asks an incredible $19 million plus. That one is a faded fixer, but perhaps can be made into a classic in its own right again.

All three homes listed within a few days of each other. All are being handled by Pacific Union realtor Mark Levinson, who will presumably have quite a start to his 2017 if all three find buyers.

It seems there’s something in the air up on Sea Cliff Avenue these days that says “sell.” We’re not complaining. It gives us a rare chance to ogle some amazing interiors.

320 Sea Cliff last sold in 2010 for $8 million. When you adjust for inflation, that was itself roughly double its 2003 sale price of $3.1 million.

Apparently a house like this just doubles its asking price every six or seven years. Think of it as an inverse half-life.

• 320 Sea Cliff [Pac Union]
• Bonkers Sea Cliff House [Curbed SF]
• Imprisoned Tycoon’s Sea Cliff Mansion [Curbed SF]